California Energy Commission awards Blue Planet Systems $2.1 million grant for concrete carbon capture project

By AI, Created 10:54 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Blue Planet Systems Corporation won a $2.1 million California Energy Commission grant to advance a concrete carbon capture and mineralization field demonstration in California. The project is designed to test lower-carbon concrete products, cut cement emissions and support new sustainable building materials jobs.

Why it matters: - The grant gives Blue Planet Systems a public funding boost to test whether carbon-capture-based concrete can scale in California. - The project targets a major emissions source by aiming to reduce the carbon footprint of cement and concrete production. - The demonstration could support a new market for lower-carbon building materials if the technology proves commercially viable.

What happened: - Blue Planet Systems Corporation announced that the California Energy Commission approved a $2,100,000 grant for the Concrete Carbon Capture & Mineralization Field Demonstration project. - The project was competitively selected under the CEC’s Industrial Carbon Dioxide Utilization for Value Added Products program, GFO-23-502. - The company said the project is intended to help California move toward its carbon-neutrality goals.

The details: - The demonstration will focus on optimizing Blue Planet’s concrete mix designs to improve strength and durability. - The project will test the commercial viability of ultra-low-carbon and carbon-negative concrete products using Blue Planet’s patented Geomimetic® carbon mineralization technology. - Blue Planet said its approach is 20% more cost-effective and 50% more energy-efficient than traditional CCUS approaches that rely on solvent-based capture, pipeline transport and underground injection. - The company said the project aims to permanently sequester thousands of tons of CO2 annually. - The project also aims to produce aggregates that are carbon-negative and high-performing. - Blue Planet said the effort could create green jobs and help establish a new California industry for sustainable building materials. - The company is based in Silicon Valley and is commercializing a nature-based carbon management technology that captures and stores CO2 as coarse and fine limestone aggregates used in concrete. - Blue Planet said its mission is to mineralize billions of tons of CO2 and store it permanently in the built environment. - Blue Planet provided a LinkedIn page for more information.

Between the lines: - The award suggests California sees value in technologies that turn captured carbon into usable products rather than storing it underground. - Blue Planet is positioning concrete as both a climate solution and a commercial product, which could broaden the economic case for carbon capture. - The grant also signals continued state interest in industrial decarbonization tools that support manufacturing and construction supply chains.

What’s next: - Blue Planet will work with the California Energy Commission on the field demonstration. - The company will use the project to validate performance, cost and energy advantages at commercial scale. - Results from the demonstration could influence whether the technology expands further in California and beyond.